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Zendo Project – Psychedelic Harm Reduction: Providing training, education, and support to reduce the risks associated with using psychedelics

iCrowdNewswire - Jun 29, 2015

Zendo Project: Psychedelic Harm Reduction

This year, millions of people will use psychedelics outside of medical and research contexts. Using psychedelics can produce overwhelming and uncomfortable experiences, which becomes more likely with high doses, in first-time users, and when adequate preparation or setting are not available.

The Zendo Project provides a safe space and professionally trained staff to care for individuals at festivals, concerts, and other events where psychedelic substance use may be present. Zendo Project staff and volunteers also work closely with event security and medical response teams to provide comprehensive psychedelic first aid services.

We’re asking for $50,000 to expand the Zendo Project’s services at festivals around the world. Increasing numbers of event producers are recognizing the need for psychedelic harm reduction services at their events and asking for these services—we need your help to get there.

Expand our capacity to deliver psychedelic support services at festivals and events around the world

Every gift—no matter the size—helps us provide community-based compassionate care to people having a difficult psychedelic experience.

In the past three years, the Zendo Project has trained over 500 volunteers to provide psychedelic harm reduction at events.

We need your help to build a new Zendo structure and expand our capacity to provide psychedelic harm reduction services at Burning Man 2015 and beyond.

Psychedelics—such as MDMA, LSD, psilocybin, and many others—are illegal in the United States and most other countries, except in approved scientific studies. The Zendo Project does not encourage or endorse illegal drug use, however we recognize that some people choose to use these substances.

Psychedelic harm reduction is an effective public health-based alternative to hospitalization and arrest. By assisting guests in changing their experiences into valuable opportunities for learning and growth, psychedelic harm reduction helps prevent and transform difficult experiences related to non-ordinary state of consciousness.

“[T]he festival is making a greater effort this time around to let attendees know that these services are available. ‘What they’re doing is heroic,”[DPA’s Stefanie] Jones said. ‘They’re making every effort in a tough environment to keep their attendees safe.'”—The Huffington Post, May 20, 2015

“The Zendo Project provides an incredible service to those experiencing a crisis. There is also great value to the festivals from a production standpoint, freeing up the resources of traditional medical and security teams and sending the message that safety is a priority to attendees.”—Fest300, March 26, 2015

“It’s against the law to make concerts “drug-friendly,” so many concert organizers have gone with a zero tolerance policy…But some music festivals are trying a different approach to reduce the bad experiences for concert-goersdetermined to get high on illicit drugs. “—National Institute on Drug Abuse, June 9, 2015

“Psychedelic experiences can seem dangerous, but police or doctors are not always necessary when there are compassionate, attentive, and well-trained community members available to help.”—Tricycle, Spring 2014

Inside the Zendo: A safe space can be an alternative to hospitalization or arrest.

Compassionate care at festivals

Since 2012, the Zendo Project has assisted over 700 guests, most of whom were having challenging psychedelic experiences when they arrived. We have trained approximately 500 volunteers to provide psychedelic harm reduction services at events, totaling over 10,000 hours of volunteer time. While most guests arrive to the Zendo after having taken psychedelics, many also come to integrate previous psychedelic experiences, or to rest and reintegrate during an overwhelming festival experience.

The Four Principles of Psychedelic Harm Reduction

Learn more about these principles in our 30-page Psychedelic Harm Reduction Manual. We’ll send you a printed edition as a Perk for your $75 gift, or as part of the Zendo Pack!

These principles are similar to those used by therapists in psychedelic psychotherapy research settings. MAPS and other organizations are currently conducting clinical trials to develop various forms of psychedelic therapy into FDA-approved prescription treatments, including MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for people suffering from chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Other ongoing research sponsored by MAPS includes MDMA- and LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with life-threatening illness, MDMA-assisted therapy for social anxiety in autistic adults, ibogaine and ayahuasca treatment for drug addiction, as well as medical marijuana for people with PTSD.

“Together, we can create a model for a post-prohibition world, where psychedelic harm reduction is an integral part of festival health and safety infrastructure.”

Medical care at festivals

The Zendo Project works in partnership with security and medical personnel to ensure that individuals not requiring medical care receive timely psychological support. Sometimes, medical or legal interventions are unnecessary, costly, and sometimes even harmful for someone having a psychedelic experience.

“After providing medical services for over 200 large-scale events, I’ve learned that an effectively integrated harm reduction team is a vital component of ensuring safety for your guests and participants.”

Since our founding in 1986, MAPS has disbursed over $20 million to psychedelic and medical marijuana research and education. Every dollar has come from visionary donors committed to our mission. For now, the continued expansion of psychedelic research and education relies on the generosity of individual donors.

Friends and Allies:

The Full Circle Tea House is a community-supported mobile tea service that provides free tea, water, and quiet resting space at music festivals and other events.

RGX Medical provides on-site medical logistics and risk management for festivals, concerts, film and television, and other large-scale events.